Moscow sources stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a New Year letter to his US counterpart Donald Trump, said on Sunday that Moscow was ready for dialogue on a "wide-ranging agenda". Meanwhile at the end of November, Trump abruptly cancelled a planned meeting with Putin on the sidelines of a G20 summit in Argentina, citing tensions about Russian forces opening fire on Ukrainian navy boats and then seizing them.
A Kremlin statement said "Vladimir Putin stressed that the Russia-United States relations are the most important factor for providing strategic stability and international security". Furthermore he confirmed that Russia is open for dialogue with the USA on the most wide-ranging agenda. Further in a separate letter to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Putin pledged continuation of aid to the Syrian government and people in the "fight against terrorism, in defense of state sovereignty and territorial integrity".
Moreover Putin also sent New Year greetings to other world leaders including prime ministers Theresa May of Britain and Shinzo Abe of Japan, as well as Chinese President Xi Jinping. Reportedly Russia's embassy in London said on Friday Moscow and London had agreed to return some staff to their respective embassies after they expelled dozens of diplomats early this year.
